MusicRadar festival guide 2012

UPDATED: Our pick of the year's best music festivals

MusicRadar festival guide 2012

Welcome to MusicRadar's guide to the best of 2012's festival action.

Whether you're after a low-key folk festival, a dance-fuelled rave, an inner-city event or a field full of heavy metal fans, we've rounded-up our pick of some of the UK's biggest and best festivals, plus a few of our favourites from around the world. Check out each individual festival's page for information on line-ups, tickets and locations.

Use the calender below to jump to info on any festival, or scroll though to browse them all. And don't forget to keep checking back as we add more events, extra information and the latest coverage from the festivals themselves.

All Tomorrow's Parties: I'll Be Your Mirror (UK)

One of MusicRadar's favourite festival promoters, All Tomorrow's Parties, sets up camp in Alexandra Palace for a second year. Highlights include a Friday night bill of metal and rock acts not to be missed for fans of big riffs.

A US version of the event with a different line-up will take place in New Jersey in September, more info on that can be found at the ATP site.

Glade

14 - 17 June, Houghton Hall, Norfolk

Glade began life as a soundsystem nestled in the middle of Glastonbury Festival, but over the years it has grown as an offshoot to become one of the UK's premier underground dance events. This year sees the festival - now helmed by the team behind Sectret Garden Party - return for a second year to its new home in Norfolk.

Bloc

6 - 7 July, London

For 2012, Bloc moves from its previous home at Butlins holiday camp in Somerset to a huge converted warehouse complex in central London. It's not just the location that's changed, however, as this year's line-up is bigger and more diverse than ever.

Sonisphere (UK leg) [CANCELLED]

This year's Sonisphere isn't going to be short of tight trousers, big hair and men in make-up, thanks to appearances from Kiss, The Darkness and Queen - who will be join by former American Idol singer Adam Lambert.

For our money the best things are happening further down the line-up, however, with Mastodon and Glassjaw performing albums in full, and Refused playing their first UK show in over a decade.

Camp Bestival

26 – 29 July, Lulworth Castle, Dorest

The smaller, more-family-friendly little brother of Bestival. Expect music, circus performances, children's entertainers and place to park pushchairs. MusicRadar took the kids there in 2010, see pictures from our visit.

Lollapalooza (USA)

Originally concieved as a touring festival by Jane's Addiction's Perry Farrell in the early '90s, Lollapalooza - now a stationary, three-day event - is one of the biggest dates in the US festival calender.